7 die of asphyxiation while cleaning oil tank in AP factory, FIR registered

Kakinada (AP): Seven workers of an edible oil packaging factory in a village near here were asphyxiated on Thursday when they got into an oil tank to clean it, district officials said.

The incident occurred at G Ragampet at around 8:30 am when one of the labourers was cleaning the tank where the oil was stored.

He accidentally slipped and fell into it. In order to save him, another six people entered the tanker and were asphyxiated. Five of the workers were from Paderu and two were from Peddapuram, police said.

The factory has been sealed and a case registered against it under IPC Section 304A (death due to negligence), Kakinada District Collector Krithika Shukla told the media.

She said a four-member committee headed by Joint Collector has been constituted to conduct an inquiry into the mishap and submit a report within three days.

The panel is currently going through the documents and the approval the factory had for running the oil packaging facility. Strict action will be initiated against those responsible for the lapses, officials said.

An ex-gratia of Rs 25 lakh has been announced by the state government for the kin of victims while the factory also has been ordered to provide compensation, an official release said. Post-mortem was underway and it will ascertain the cause of deaths, officials said. Family members of the victims alleged that the factory management did not provide proper security gear to the workers.